Ravichandran Ashwin Turns 36: Did You Know India Off-spinner Started his Career as an Opening Batter? A look at his Illustrious Career

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN: Ravichandran Ashwin is one of India’s elite spinners who has bamboozled even the best players of spin with his guile. Over the span of his career, Ashwin has put his long fingers to tireless work as he has scalped 442 Tests, 151 ODIs and 66 T20s wickets. Along with his orthodox off-spinners, Ashwin has mastered the carom ball that he uses as his trump card. His plethora of variations and his in-depth knowledge of the game have made him one of the quintessential spinners in world cricket.

As the spin wizard celebrates his 36th birthday, let’s take a look at some of his interesting facts and records:

Started his career as an opening batter

Ashwin started his cricketing career as an opening batsman and a medium-pace bowler. His childhood coach CK Vijay helped him transition to an off-spinner keeping his 6 ft 2-inch height in mind. Though his strong suit is his bowling, Ashwin has proved his mettle as a capable lower-order batter for India. The five Test tons that he acquired under some of the most challenging conditions, speak volumes of his batting prowess.

Player of the match on debut

The veteran spinner is one of the few players who have been named the Man of the Match in their debut Test match. He was brilliant against West Indies finishing the match with 9 wickets, including a 6-wicket haul in the second innings of the match.

A ton and take 5 wickets

Ravichandran Ashwin etched his name into an elite list of Indian players who have taken five wickets and smashed a century in the same Test match. He accomplished this feat in his third Test against the West Indies in 2011 by scalping 5 wickets for 156 and smashing 103 runs in the first innings.

Joint-fastest to 350 Test wickets

He was the joint fastest to scalp 350 wickets, accomplishing the feat in just 66 Tests same as Sri Lanka’s legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

The best of India

In Test cricket, Ashwin has 442 wickets in 86 matches, including 30 five-wicket hauls and 7 ten-wicket hauls. He is the second highest wicket-taker in Tests for India.

First Indian to bag 50 T20I wickets

In his 42nd match, he became the first Indian bowler to complete 50 wickets in T20Is (average of 21.74). Ashwin is one of the most aggressive bowlers in the shortest format of the game, always on the lookout for wickets.

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